Fr. Tomás Morales was born in Macuto, Venezuela, on the 30th of October, 1908. He studied in the school of the Jesuit fathers in Chamartin, Madrid, and later law in the Central University of Madrid, coming first in his class. He actively lived the reality of university life at that time as president of the Catholic Students. He did his doctorate in Bologna, Italy. At 23, he entered the Society of Jesus in Chevetogne, Belgium, and was ordained on the 13th of May, 1942.

In 1946 he returned to Madrid where he began an intensive apostolate among workers. With them he founded the Home of the Worker, an apostolic movement of great vitality, which set in motion a number of social projects. His fundamental vocation, where he put all his energies and his radical capacity for dedication, was working to reach the fully responsible incorporation of the laity into the evangelical mission of the Church.

A fruit of his labour in this field was his most important work: the foundation of the Secular Institutes of the Crusaders of Mary, male and female; the family movement, Homes of Mary; and the apostolic youth movement Militia of Mary. His experience and educational approaches appear clearly in his books: Forja de Hombres (Madrid: 1987, 4th Spanish Ed): Concrete points to direct the formation of apostles and lay movements. Laicos en Marcha (Madrid: 1984, 2nd Spanish ed.): a series of encouraging principles to promote the apostolic action of the laity. Hour of the Laity (Madrid: 1985, Spanish ed; 1999, English ed.): Reflections on the potential strength of the laity and on the greatness of the lay Christian vocation.

Finally, as well as other spiritual writings aimed at the members of the institutes which he founded, he wrote Semblanzas de testigos de Cristo para los tiempos modernos, the lives of relevant saints, collected in twelve volumes, one for each month of the year. God granted him a rich variety of human, moral and spiritual qualities; a very firm will; bravery and freedom; a capacity for hard work; intellectual capabilities and a great sensitivity; love for the individual man and for nature. Intrepid, in the beginning he took on the works founded on the supernatural virtues of faith, love of the Pope, of the Church, of Our Lady, of prayer. From here sprung his appreciation and links with contemplative orders, especially with the Carmelites, and the notable number of vocations to this form of life which the Holy Spirit raised up through him... He died in Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, on the 1st of October, 1994, on the feast of St Thérèse of the Child Jesus